| nbc_programme_notes.docx |
The Night Before Christmas.
'Twas the night before Christmas and the air was thick with excitement...
Not least amongst the fairy tale characters who, no longer content with living in the pages of your favourite books, jump up, out and into the real world in this brand new family Christmas show, The Night Before Christmas.
Meet a storyteller who loses her words, plus lots of characters from your favourite fairytales, in this festive fable about the power of stories. Will our spinner of yarns rediscover her wonderful tales in time for Christmas?
Written by Stephen Beggs and Simon Magill, music by Garth McConaghie, directed by Lisa May, and produced by the MAC.
Set
The set for The Night Before Christmas is a library, crammed full of books. There are cases and shelves full of books, all different heights and widths. Some of the book cases can spin round, so characters can come in and go out through them.
There are nine big steps leading from the ground level to a landing or platform above. This level also has lots of bookcases that can open to let characters come and go. There are hanging lamps and strings of books hanging down from the ceiling.
There is a round window high up on the left, with the pattern of a flower in it. Sometimes the floor of the library is dappled with colours, as if this window is stained glass and the light is being cast from there. Other times images can be seen going past the window (like reindeers pulling Santa’s sleigh).
The library sometimes turns into the Commissioner’s laboratory. When we’re in the lab, the lights turn a sinister green colour and there are strip light tubes that glow green. There is a shiny metal table and a wooden case on wheels that the Commissioner and his scientists use for experiments. They have lots of glass vials and coloured potions on them.
Characters and costumes
Noelle, The Storyteller is played by Allison Harding. She wears a dark coloured dress, with a big, wide velvet scarf and a dark red velvet coat. On her head she wears a red velvet turban with lots of ostrich feathers at the front held on with pearls. And she wears little, wire framed glasses.
The Commissioner and The Big Bad Wolf is played by Sean Kearns. The Commissioner is a tall, older man with a stern, grumpy face. He wears black trousers and a black waistcoat with a white shirt and a white dickey bow. Over everything he wears a big, bright red cloak with white lining that he swishes and swirls about.
The wolf has grey fur, a long grey snout, grey pointy ears and dark eyes and a hairy grey chest. He wears a long black coat.
Jem, Grandmother, and Little Pig are all played by Nuala McGowan. Jem is the storyteller’s assistant. She wears a long plaid skirt and a white blouse that has words printed all over it. She has a pair of wire glasses and wears a cream coloured hat down over her ears and a dark cardigan. Jem plays the guitar.
As the grandmother she wears a long shawl over her hair, shoulders and down to her knees.
Fiscal and Little Pig are played by Jack Watson. Fiscal is a skinny young man with slicked back brown hair. He wears a black tuxedo with a white dickey bow and a white shirt that has words printed all over it. His tuxedo coat has long pointy tails at the back that always point out and up at a jaunty angle and bounce when he walks. He plays the accordion.
The Duckling and Little Pig are played by Daniel Rivers. The duckling has stripey tights, a white coat with words printed on it and a great big feathery skirt that sticks out at the back and makes his bum wobble and waggle when he walks. His feathers are a mix of black, brown, white and cream. He wears the head of a duckling, but the actor’s face sticks out at the bottom and you can see he has a black beard. The duckling has a black beak, a grey stripe on his head and wears a monocle.
The three little pigs are all very stout. They wear pink trousers that are tight over their big thighs and big bums. They each wear pink and white striped waistcoats that are stretched tight across their tummies. Each actor who plays a little pig wears a pink pig head like a helmet on the top of their own heads. You can see their faces peaking out under the snout and waggly ears of the pigs.
Queen Talia and the Little Match Girl are played by Katie Shortt. Queen Talia is a beautiful young woman. She wears a lovely dress with silvery skirts and a sparkling silver top and a silver cape with words printed all over it. She has dark hair and wears a fancy headband with feathers that stick up on one side. She plays the flute.
As the little matchgirl she wears a long skirt with a pinafore apron over the top, a shawl clutched tight across her shoulders and a bonnet covering her hair and ears.
Other characters are played by members of the cast. They include the villagers who wear flat caps and aprons. And the scientists, who wear lab coats, long green rubber gloves and thick protective goggles.
'Twas the night before Christmas and the air was thick with excitement...
Not least amongst the fairy tale characters who, no longer content with living in the pages of your favourite books, jump up, out and into the real world in this brand new family Christmas show, The Night Before Christmas.
Meet a storyteller who loses her words, plus lots of characters from your favourite fairytales, in this festive fable about the power of stories. Will our spinner of yarns rediscover her wonderful tales in time for Christmas?
Written by Stephen Beggs and Simon Magill, music by Garth McConaghie, directed by Lisa May, and produced by the MAC.
Set
The set for The Night Before Christmas is a library, crammed full of books. There are cases and shelves full of books, all different heights and widths. Some of the book cases can spin round, so characters can come in and go out through them.
There are nine big steps leading from the ground level to a landing or platform above. This level also has lots of bookcases that can open to let characters come and go. There are hanging lamps and strings of books hanging down from the ceiling.
There is a round window high up on the left, with the pattern of a flower in it. Sometimes the floor of the library is dappled with colours, as if this window is stained glass and the light is being cast from there. Other times images can be seen going past the window (like reindeers pulling Santa’s sleigh).
The library sometimes turns into the Commissioner’s laboratory. When we’re in the lab, the lights turn a sinister green colour and there are strip light tubes that glow green. There is a shiny metal table and a wooden case on wheels that the Commissioner and his scientists use for experiments. They have lots of glass vials and coloured potions on them.
Characters and costumes
Noelle, The Storyteller is played by Allison Harding. She wears a dark coloured dress, with a big, wide velvet scarf and a dark red velvet coat. On her head she wears a red velvet turban with lots of ostrich feathers at the front held on with pearls. And she wears little, wire framed glasses.
The Commissioner and The Big Bad Wolf is played by Sean Kearns. The Commissioner is a tall, older man with a stern, grumpy face. He wears black trousers and a black waistcoat with a white shirt and a white dickey bow. Over everything he wears a big, bright red cloak with white lining that he swishes and swirls about.
The wolf has grey fur, a long grey snout, grey pointy ears and dark eyes and a hairy grey chest. He wears a long black coat.
Jem, Grandmother, and Little Pig are all played by Nuala McGowan. Jem is the storyteller’s assistant. She wears a long plaid skirt and a white blouse that has words printed all over it. She has a pair of wire glasses and wears a cream coloured hat down over her ears and a dark cardigan. Jem plays the guitar.
As the grandmother she wears a long shawl over her hair, shoulders and down to her knees.
Fiscal and Little Pig are played by Jack Watson. Fiscal is a skinny young man with slicked back brown hair. He wears a black tuxedo with a white dickey bow and a white shirt that has words printed all over it. His tuxedo coat has long pointy tails at the back that always point out and up at a jaunty angle and bounce when he walks. He plays the accordion.
The Duckling and Little Pig are played by Daniel Rivers. The duckling has stripey tights, a white coat with words printed on it and a great big feathery skirt that sticks out at the back and makes his bum wobble and waggle when he walks. His feathers are a mix of black, brown, white and cream. He wears the head of a duckling, but the actor’s face sticks out at the bottom and you can see he has a black beard. The duckling has a black beak, a grey stripe on his head and wears a monocle.
The three little pigs are all very stout. They wear pink trousers that are tight over their big thighs and big bums. They each wear pink and white striped waistcoats that are stretched tight across their tummies. Each actor who plays a little pig wears a pink pig head like a helmet on the top of their own heads. You can see their faces peaking out under the snout and waggly ears of the pigs.
Queen Talia and the Little Match Girl are played by Katie Shortt. Queen Talia is a beautiful young woman. She wears a lovely dress with silvery skirts and a sparkling silver top and a silver cape with words printed all over it. She has dark hair and wears a fancy headband with feathers that stick up on one side. She plays the flute.
As the little matchgirl she wears a long skirt with a pinafore apron over the top, a shawl clutched tight across her shoulders and a bonnet covering her hair and ears.
Other characters are played by members of the cast. They include the villagers who wear flat caps and aprons. And the scientists, who wear lab coats, long green rubber gloves and thick protective goggles.
